Today is Darwin Day, a "global celebration of science and reason held on or around Feb. 12, the birthday anniversary of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin," according to The International Darwin Day Foundation website. It's also an occasion to continue the evolution vs. creationism debate that's been going on for over a century, including whether and how public school should teach students about the subject.

The issue made national headlines last week when Bill Nye "The Science Guy," the popular former host of a TV show that receives plenty of airplay in classrooms across the country, traveled to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., to squared off against Ken Ham, the museum's founder, in a 150-minute debate.

During the debate, Nye said plenty of religious people believe in science. "I just want to remind us all there are billions of people in the world who are deeply religious, who get enriched by the wonderful sense of community by their religion," Nye said. "But these same people do not embrace the extraordinary view that the Earth is somehow only 6,000 years old." Ham said he bases his historical science on the Bible. "I find there's only one infallible dating method," Ham said. "It's a witness who was there, who knows everything and told us, and that's from the word of God."

Meanwhile, the teaching of evolution remains an issue in many states. Since the high-profiled 1925 Scopes Trial, in which in which high school teacher John Scopes was accused of violating Tennessee law by teaching evolution, states have dealt with the issue on their own terms.

In October 2006, the Michigan Board of Education unanimously passed new state science standards that ensured the teaching of evolution, but not the teaching of intelligent design of creation science. In February 2008, Florida's Board of Education revised its state science stands to require the teaching of evolution. In December 2013, the Texas Board of Education approved a biology textbook that presents evolution as the only explanation for the development of life on earth.

A young Charles Darwin.Image courtesy of SUNY Oswego

The Louisiana Science Education Act of 2008 allows teachers to use "supplemental textbooks and other instructional materials to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review scientific theories in an objective manner," specifically theories regarding "evolution, the origins of life, global warming, and human cloning." In 2012, Tennessee passed a law that said "teachers shall be permitted to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories." While both states permit schools to teach creationism, it's unclear how many actually do.

Last month, Slate published a map that located publicly funded schools that are allowed to teach creationism, including at least three schools in Washington, D.C., 37 schools in Indiana and 164 schools in Florida.

While Darwin Day isn't officially recognized by the federal government, it's not for a lack of trying. U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, of New Jersey, introduced a resolution last month that asked that asked Congress to recognize Feb. 12 as Darwin Day, the third year a congressman has done so, according to Kimberly Winston of Religion News Service.

There are only two views of how the universe, the world and you and I came to be. Either it was created or it evolved. This is a philosophical debate--ultimately, it's not really about the science. The constitution calls for the state not to be involved in the establishment of any religion--yet a mandated religious view is being proposed.

The International Darwin Day Foundation says over 90 groups of atheists, humanists and other freethinkers are holding local celebrations, including potluck dinners, nature outings, lectures, book discussions and film screenings. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry's Moon Library is displaying mini-posters made by students taking an evolution course that highlight some the year's most compelling research in evolutionary biology until later this month. The library will also be giving away a permanent book plate in honor of Darwin Day, and has on display books by and about Darwin and naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace.

How are you celebrating Darwin Day, if at all? Share with us in the comments below.